"Danfe are openly hunted and their meat is sold everywhere these days. Along with Danfe, other bird species found in high altitude are also being killed for meat," said Karbire Airi, local of Sunikot village. "The hunters do not get much price of the meat in village. So, they go to the headquarters to sell it. They get good price for the meat of birds and wild animals," he added.According to Yedi, Jharal, Ghoral, Kalij and Thar, among other animals are being hunted for selling their meat commercially in the meat. He said that he hears the sound of firing in the jungle almost everyday. "They use guns and also place nets to trap the animals and birds. Due to the growing availability of the wild beasts and birds, people have stopped eating mutton," he informed.
There are around 40 families in his tiny village and 27 of them have one or more hunters, Yedi said. Meanwhile, local of Kanda village Ranjan Bohora stated that hunting is not a new matter in the village, even though its going commercial has developed lately. "During winter, people in the village would love to climb in high altitudes to hunt birds and other wild animals. Basically, the hunters leave their village after Tihar," said Bohora. "But these days, it is not just about the hunting passion. It is more for money," he admitted.
Post Dashain or Tihar, as the locals are done with harvesting their crops, get some free time to relax. Men then leave for adventures like hunting in the nearby jungles. Bohora said that killing of the national bird Danfe is not news either. "However, over time, the hunters saw money in the work. They earn enough money by selling the meat of birds and animals in town," he said.
Bohora said that it is not only hunters who are involved in this. "Hunters and forest office personnel along with police personnel sit in a hall where the hunters provide them their share and than take the rest of meat to town for selling," he said.
Kalu Bohora (name changed), local of Baulichaur added that one kilogram of wild animal meat of several species is sold for Rs 1000 in the headquarters. However, Dafne is costlier, he said.
According to Kalu, one kilogram of Danfe's meat costs Rs 3000 or above and given the efforts to hunt it, the price is fair enough. "Hunting of the wild birds and animals is not a joke. You have to stay in the jungle for days and nights," he said.
Kalu revealed that he earned Rs 83,000 in the last two months alone by selling of Danfe and other wild animals' meat. "If the concerned officials or police come to know about our activities, we make a deal. We give them certain portion of the meat to buy our way out. In fact, most of our customers are high class people - high government official or politicians," Kalu said.
The villagers of Dahabagad, Lekgaun, Gadraya, Datolal, Dhamena, Kafalsari, Daulichaur, Surma, Sunikot and Kailash, among others, say that they are used to hearing the sounds of firing in the air day and night in the jungles nearby.
Meanwhile, Laxmi Raj Adhikari, sup inspector posted at Chainpur said that 'he would not spare whoever is involved in the illegal activities. "Hunting of the national bird and other wild species is illegal. We are not going to spare them," he said.
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